1910 – 1911 – The Junior Wireless Club Limited becomes the Radio Club of America

Naturally the activities of these amateur experimenters aroused considerable interest, and it was not long before the Government began wondering what could be done to control these newcomers. The idea of restricting the free air had never occurred to anyone before, but the result was a bill introduced by Senator Depew in 1910, practically prohibiting amateur experimenting. This bill, naturally the first of its kind, would surely have spelled the death of all amateur Radio had it not been for the quick action of the junior Wireless Club.

Subsequently, a committee was appointed to go to Washington and plead the cause of the amateur before Congress. This committee consisting of Messrs. W. E. D. Stokes, Jr., chairman, Frank King, George Eltz, and Ernest Amy, appeared before the Committee of Commerce of the Senate in Washington on April 28th, 1910, and through their efforts succeeded in killing the bill. The importance of their work cannot be stressed too greatly, because without this timely intervention by a handful of mere boys, who are to be most highly commended for their indomitable spirit, the amateur would certainty have ceased to exist right then and there.

By 1911 the interest in amateur radio was beginning to grow by leaps and bounds and while the original membership of the club consisted of some five active members, by this time it had more than doubled. These young boys were the leaders of amateur radio in and around New York City at that time, and soon drew all the live operators into the organization. Due to this increase in membership it was decided on April 22nd, 1911, to hold all subsequent meetings at 326 West 107th Street, N. Y. C., the home of Frank King. It was there at a special meeting on October 21st, 1911, that it was unanimously decided to change the name from JUNIOR WIRELESS CLUB LIMITED to THE RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA. This was in fact the birth of The Radio Club of America and a list of the members at that time, who are the original Charter members, follows.

W. E. D. STOKES, JR.

GEORGE ELTZ, JR.

W. FALTOUTE MUNN

FRANK KING

FREDERICK SEYMOUR

HARLOWE HARDINGE

E. V. AMY

GRAHAM LOWE

MAX BAMBERGER

EDWIN N. RHODES

FRANK WHITEHOUSE

L. S. SHAW

GEORGE E. BURGHARD.

The following officers, who are the first officers of The Radio Club of America, were also elected at this meeting.

President- Frank King.

Vice-President – George Eltz, Jr.

Corrs. Secretary – George Burghard.

Treasurer – Ernest Amy.

These are the events which led up to the beginning of the present RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA, and its first regular meeting was held at Frank King’s House 326 West 107th St., N. Y. C., on November 4th, 1911.

The 100th anniversary of time broadcast station WWV will be held on these dates. Amateur radio operators can contact a special events station set up to commemorate the event. Educators can use the event as[...]